Performance and Luxury: The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

byRoger RapozaonMarch 18, 2016

Miami Jeep dealershave quite the Jeep sitting on their lots. The 2016 Grand Cherokee SRT goes above and beyond the expectations of an SUV, and is the result of what happens when engineers and designers of the Street and Racing Technology team grab it. The SRT is the pinnacle of performance and luxury, with an exclusive look to match. The inside is furnished with some of the best materials available, and was also redesigned to make it look a little more race-ready.

But, you don’t need to sit inside the cabin to realize that. All you need to do is look at the outside, and you can guess what the inside is going to look like.

SRT Exclusive Looks

The Street and Racing Team used the basic design of the Grand Cherokee and then took it up a notch. This Cherokee has a more premium look, with elements that provide an aggressive, bold, and muscular exterior.

It all starts with the split-grille design of this SRT, and the top half is slotted off with chrome trim bordering the honeycomb patterned grille. The bottom half is designed with a similar pattern, but has horizontal black lines cutting through it. There is also a big chrome piece that arches and divides the grille, with (what appears to be) air intake ports sitting on the sides. Completing the design, the headlights sit on each side of the grille, and are surprisingly small for a vehicle this size. But, when all these elements come together it works, and provides the most menacing looking Grand Cherokee SRT that has ever been produced.

New 18-inch (or 20-inch) tires sit wide and close to the front and the back, which gives it a pure athletic stance, making sure people know that this Jeep means business. Along with bigger wheels, the original GC design also receives some muscular bulges added onto the hood and the sides of the vehicle. The back has been redesigned as well, and now a spoiler with a set of glaring tail lights are the first thing to catch your eye, and sit on a trunk that looks like it’s been hitting the gym.

Overall, this redesign was very successful. Consumers can still tell it’s a Grand Cherokee, but its lifted enough weights to provide a racing look. Ten out of ten points to the team that came up with this because it looks awesome.

Fastest SUV in Its Class

A bold and aggressive look isn’t everything and a SUV this jacked-up needs to talk-the-talk as well as walk-the-walk, which it does. The Grand Cherokee SRT is the fastest SUV in its class, and it’s all because of the engine.

They Put a HEMI in it…

The engine is a true monster; a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine. Yup, they put a HEMI in it. This HEMI delivers an insane amount of horsepower, 475 to be exact, which is the most available horsepower in its class. This engine gets more horsepower than the 2016 Camaro SS, which is hard to fathom.

This engine is paired to an efficient automatic eight-speed transmission, and it gives you two options. You can let the computer do the work, or use the paddle shifters on the steering wheel to give you that edge when stomping on the gas.

The engine and transmission aren’t the only amazing pieces of performance technology in the 2016 Grand Cherokee SRT. It also comes with a Launch system and Jeep’s famous Selec-Track.

Selec-Track

The Selec-Track system works similarly to the ones you find in the other Jeeps, but in the SRT it comes with a Track setting. That way, whether you are driving on snow covered roads or waiting for that light to turn green, you’re ready to dial in the performance. With it, the driver can precisely adjust the driving settings. The suspension, torque, distribution, shift schedule, stability control, and engine mapping are all controlled through this system. The days of manually having to tune your engine for the track are over. Now, you just need to turn a dial.

Launch System: Time for Blast-Off

Along with Selec-Track, Jeep also included a Launch System in the Grand Cherokee SRT. This seat-pinning performance attribute is unique to this vehicle, and is a system I have never encountered before. It’s really cool, and the way it works is simple. The Launch Control button activates the system, and it optimizes every possible setting for maximum acceleration. Simply hit the button, hold down the brake, apply full-throttle, and then let go of the brake. Understand why it’s called the Launch system now? After you lift your foot off the brake, it will literally launch the Grand Cherokee SRT with maximum torque and grip.

Between this powerful acceleration technology, the Selec-Track system, and the mind-bending 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine, the Grand Cherokee SRT is a force to be reckoned with. I wager it could hold its own quite well against cars like the Camaro and Mustang, even if it is from a different class.

A Race-Inspired Luxurious Inside

This track-ready monster is also one of the most luxurious SUVs out there. Sure, it might also be a race-inspired interior, but the quality of materials and comfort levels are through the roof.

Available Supple Leather Seating

Take, for example, the available Laguna leather seats. These seats are so exquisite, because they are crafted from one of the world’s finest tanners in Sweden. The tanner’s hides are chosen exclusively from Scandanavia, which means the quality of leather is supreme. Why? Because, there is a ban on barbed wire fencing. That means, there are fewer scratches and blemishes on the raw hides.

Making it even better, the processing is kept to an all-time low. This allows the leather’s natural softness and beauty to come out, and is definitely one of the more stunning and supple looking leather trims out there.

Beyond Aesthetically Pleasing

Those available leather seats were only one aspect, and they contribute to a world-class and ultra-premium design. Aesthetically, it’s beautiful. It has just the right amount of added athleticism to remind the driver what they are sitting in, but it’s main focus is still comfort and practicality.

For starters, the whole cabin features active noise cancelling technology. Silent sound waves help reduce outside noise for a superior sound experience, which is imperative, because the 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with an 825-watt amp needs to be heard in all its glory.

The seats aren’t the only leather part of the interior, and the whole steering wheel is wrapped in a black leather. The layout of the infotainment system is both elegant and practical and the silver finish that runs over the center stack, trimming the rest of the cab, provides a subtle but elegant contrast.

Sitting inside this vehicle might give you conflicted feelings. You might have a hard time deciding if you should focus on enjoying the ride or winning the race. Thankfully, it’s suited to both; even if you think the interior belongs in a high-end BMW.

Price

The MSRP of the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT starts at $65,495. It’s definitely up there, but is it really a surprise? That price gets you an SUV with extreme performance enhancing technology, an ungodly amount of horsepower, a killer looking vehicle design, and an interior that provides a luxurious, comfortable, and exhilarating NASCAR experience.

Therefore, it’s a no brainer the price of the Grand Cherokee SRT is high. But, after learning about everything that this performance SUV offers, it’s worth every penny.